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through her college, and I’m covered through work, but they have nothing. I

talked to the admin at the front desk, and they said that the bills can be

financed. They tried to tell me it wouldn’t be too bad, since my dad didn’t

have extensive testing done or anything because he refused it, but…”

“But it’s a lot,” June finished for her.

“It is.” Too much. Arabella’s hand reached out and clenched the counter.

She kept seeing the shame on her dad’s face. Kept hearing him say that he

wished he could just die and save them all the trouble instead of drawing it

out and being a burden. That, more than anything else, broke her heart.

One second, Arabella was standing at the counter, listening to the steady

hiss and drip of the coffee maker, staring at the reflection of the globe light

against the small kitchen window behind the sink, the next thing she knew

she was sliding down, her legs giving way, her hand not nearly enough to

hold her up and keep her steady.

The floor was old linoleum, yellow with orange squares and small sprigs

of flowers. Arabella had never really looked that closely at it. She’d

actually tried not to because it was so ugly, but now she was getting up

close and personal. Her butt was parked there, her legs folded up under her

at odd angles.

“Whoa!” June hovered over her, and Arabella turned her face up,

somewhat stunned to find her above her. “Are you okay?” June crouched

down, eyes bright with concern. She reached out automatically, but then

stopped halfway and tucked her hand back at her side.

Arabella blinked. “I-I don’t know.”

Damn it, that wasn’t a yes. You should have said yes. Yes is the only

option.

She remembered how proud she’d been in high school. How she never

would have admitted to even so much as a nanosecond of weakness. And

now here she was, on the floor, blinking in confusion at June because she

didn’t really remember the descent down.